Devices have been used to administer medications under emergency conditions, such as, for example, administering epinephrine to counteract the effects of a severe allergic reaction. Devices have also been described for use in administering medications to treat disease, such as, for example, anti-arrhythmic medications and selective thrombolytic agents during a heart attack.
Automatic medication administration devices offer an alternative to manually operated syringes for administering therapeutic agents into subjects in need thereof, or allowing subjects in need thereof to self-administer medications. Frequently, automatic medication administration devices administer medication to the subject via injection. Examples of automatic medication injection devices may be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,910,260; 4,004,577; 4,689,042; 4,755,169; 4,795,433; 3,941,130; 4,261,358; 5,085,642; 5,092,843; 5,102,393; 5,267,963; 6,149,626; 6,270,479; 6,371,939; and PCT publication WO/2008/005315.
Current automatic medication administration devices are frequently cumbersome and may not be readily accessible, or easily carried by the user. In particular, due to the bulk of the current automatic medication administration devices, the devices tend to be carried in the subject's bag, or back pack, or purse, or car, not on the subject's person. In addition, the currently available automatic medication administration devices have a number of problems in form, function, and appeal. These problems can contribute to incorrect use, misuse, not carrying the unit as prescribed (non-compliance), and can result in an adverse outcome including death. By way of example, anaphylaxis is a severe medical emergency that if not treated quickly and appropriately can be fatal. It occurs unexpectedly and may progress rapidly in patients of all ages, but most often in the young and otherwise healthy. One common cause of anaphylaxis is food allergy, especially to peanuts, which is increasing in prevalence. Other causes exist, such as, for example, other food allergens, adverse reactions to medications, or adverse reactions to insect bites or stings. Rapid diagnosis is essential and immediate injection of intramuscular epinephrine is the treatment of choice, the response to which is often dramatic and potentially life saving. The early injection of epinephrine is the most important factor in anaphylaxis outcome. People who survive near fatal anaphylactic reactions receive intramuscular injections promptly while those who die do not.
What is needed therefore is a portable, wearable, accessible, and easy to use device for the rapid administration of medication to a subject in need thereof.